Grate making apparatus



Dec. 29, 1931. w. A. BATES GRATE MAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1 5, 1930 52x/fifi?" mami@ Dee. 29, 1931. w. A. BATES 1,838,732v

GRA-TE MAKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1930' s snee t 2 Dec. 29, 1931. w. A. BATES 1,838,732 l Y Gama MAKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15.- 193:50 3 heets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 29, V1931 v irs ES ,arent WALTERA. BATES, or GARY, INDIANA, AssIGNoii.. To GARY `STRUCTURAL STEEL Goin- Y PANY, or GARY, :livin-mim,l A ooiaPoiiATioNoP DELAWARE VGitATii MAKING APPARATUS Application filed February 15, 1930. Serial No. 428,609.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in the manufacture of a novel design of floor grating, and more particularly has relation to the apparatus for performing one ofthe several operations involved in the'construction of the grating.

Thecompleted gratingis composed of a plurality of longitudinal bars supported in spaced relation and in verticaledgewise posilo tions, anda plurality of transverse bars which are generally spaced apartY a greater distance than the space between the longitudinal bars and Aare designed to extend through openings in the longitudinal bars. rllie top edges of the' transverse bars in the completed grating are in the same plane as the top edges of the longitudinal bars.' The transvei'se'bars rest upon uncut portions of the longitudinal bars and are provided with 2o slots downwardly extending from the top edges in order to receive the upper uncut portions ofthe longitudinal bars. In forming t this design of grating, the operation consists y in punching out slugs to form therectangul Y lar openings in the longitudinal bars in which the transverse bars are finally'seated.

But in order'to allowtlie transverse bars to be inserted through the longitudinal bars and brought tothe final position, 4it is necessary 3o to carry out intermediate operations which comprise' cutting out a tongue in the longi-V tudinal bar adjacent each opening, which may be Vbent-normal to the longitudinal bar and thus provide a wide slot through which the transverse bar may be inserted in a flat hoiizontalfposition. The transverse bar is then turned through 90 to a vertical position and the several tongues are bent back into the plane ofthe longitudinal bar and have their endsabutting against the vertical sides of the transverse bars. In this manner, a very strongand rigid lgrating is formed, having no parts which will become loosened through vibration and designed to give a long period of useful life.

This speciiication discloses a machine developed to perform the operation of bending back into place the tongues which have been turned'out to allow the insertion and turning of the transverse bars.

It is therefore the purpose of this invention to provide `apparatus which will etlicieiitly handle partially completed grating as it is fed therethrough and perform the inaloperation of turning the tongues back into place'. Y'

An object of the invention consists in a construction whereby the grating may be intermittently fed through the apparatus and Y in whichV means are provided to operate while the grating is Vstationary to bend the tongues` back in place.

A particular featureof thisinvention consists in "providing bending fingers movable vertically into association with the grating and operated upon a 90 movement to 'turn the `tongues into their tinalpositions while at the sanietime backing up and holding fingers are upwardly moved into association with the grating in order to A,rigidlyhold the grating while it is operatedupon.

Additional objects and advantages of the present construction will be more clearly apparent as the'description proceeds in connection with the attached drawings, in which a preferred' embodiment is illustrated.

K lIn the drawings, in which like numerals are used V for similar parts throughouty Figure l is aplanview of the apparatus withV a. few parts broken away;`

i Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section ytalnenthrough the apparatus shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the grating as itisfed through theapparatus and illustrating the action of benders and backing up fingers; y

`Figure l is a perspective showing especially the disclfiargeY feeder andlthe straightening comb; i i

Figure 5 isa diagrammatic view illustrat-v ing thesteps performedin making the grating,the step indicated at E being formed by this machine; and Y Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional vieweillustrating the relation of the backing up fingers to the cross bars and tongues.

Before the grating is fed to the machine of this invention, the longitudinal bars 6 are punched with rectangular openings, as in- .ico

dicated at A in Figure 5, to accommodate the cross-bars 8 in their final position, and these openings are enlarged by cutting and bending out tongues 10, as shown at B. Then the cross-bar is thrust through the enlarged slots, as illustrated at C, and turned vertically, as indicated at D. This machine closes the tongues into place, as shown in position E.

The apparatus consists of a table 20 supported by frame 22. The table preferably has longitudinal grooves in its top to guide the grating. Then the grating has been fed onto this table to the proper position, backing up lingers 24 and 25 are raised and benders 2G and 27 are lowered into engagement with the grating. The backing up fingers 24 are notched for the reception of a projecting tongue, the notch being widened at the top, as illustrated in Figure 3, to shift the grating slightly if necessary to get it exactly positioned. Tn this figure, it is seen that only half the tongues are flattened by benders 26, the alternate ones being engaged by lingers 24 and later flattened by benders 27. The b-enders 2G and 27 are cylindrical, with quarter cylinder lingers projecting downward to engage the tongues. These benders are carried by a platen 80 which slides in guideways 32 which form a continuation of the frame 22. The platen is raised by means of rods 34 which extend downwardly through table 20 and are afiiXed to cross-beam 8G which is carried by piston rod 88. The piston rod 88 is forced upward by pressure in cylinder and downward by the weight of the apparatus, which may be assisted by pressure above the piston in the cylinder' 40 if desired. The platen 30 carries clamps 42 which assist in holding the grating `in place when the platen is lowered onto the grating. Also attached to the'cross-beam 36 is a system of levers 44 pivoted at 46 to a support fixed to table 20. This system of leverage raises the fingers 24 by any convenient means, at the same time that the platen is lowered. A similar but reversed system raises the fingers 25 at the same time.

TNhen the fingers thus raised hold the grating in place, as illustrated in Figure 3, the downwardly extending fingers of benders 2G and 27 are located Ibehind the tongues, that is, in the angle of th-e tongues. As clearly shown in Figure 3, a rotation of the benders 2G and 27 countercloclrwise about a point in the angle of the tongues will flatten the tongues in place. These benders extend through the platen 8O and at their upper end are keyed to cranl-:s 48 carrying pins 49 proliecting into slots in the slides 50 which are reciprocated by the cylinders as clearly indicated in Figure 2. Tt clear that this reciprocation rotates the benders 26 and 27 to bend the tongues into place.

The backing up fingers both hold the grating from motion and back up the longitudinal members against the turning force of the bender. lowever, this backing up effect is not quite sufficient to prevent a slight distortion of the longitudinal members of the grating. This slight distortion tends to give to the grating as a whole a slight curve. Means is therefore provided for avoiding or removing this curve. This consists primarily of a comb 5G, the teeth 58 of which contact with each of the longitudinal members of the grating. The comb 56 is slidably mounted to the platen 30 by bolts 59. This comb is thrust laterally in a direction to straighten the grating by means of a cam (i0 (Figure 4) mounted on a shaft 62 which is turned by the cranlrarm 64 which is actuated by the cylinder 66. The comb is partially returned to its original position by the return action of the grating, and any additional return means, such as a spring, may be used if desired.

The grating is fed intermittently by the feeding lingers and 72 which are pivotally supported on shafts 74 and which press against the cross-bars 8 in the active stroke and are pressed down by the action of said crossmembers on the slanting rear face of said lingers 70 on the return stroke. The fingers 70 and 7'2 may be normally pressed upwardly by means of a spring or counterweight, not shown. The shafts 7 4 are mounted on slides 76 and 78 respectively which slide on frames 80 and which are connected and maintained parallel by two spaced rods 82. The slide 78, and therefore with it the slide 76. is maintained perpendicular to the longitudinal memcers of the grating by means of a rack 84 at both extremities of the slide 7 8. said racks cooperating with pinions 86 keyed to common shaft 88. The desired reciprocating motion is imparted to this feeding mechanism by the cylinder 90 acting through piston rod 92. Automatic valves are of course provided for timing the actuation of the various cylinders. These have not been shown as many possible constructions are well. known.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Piston 90 operates the feeder lingers 70 to press against the cross-members 8 to shove the grating into place. Then the cylinder 4() is automatically actuated to let or force down the platen 30 carrying the benders 26 and 27 into place behind the tongues and at the same time to raise the backing up lingers 24 and 25 into place opposite the benders 2G and 27 respectively. As previously stated, the fingers 24 coact with some of the tongues to insure the proper positioning of the grating while the other tongues are being bent by the benders 26. The grating is further held by the clamps 42 which are especially helpful in holding the longitudinal members Which are not held directly anchoring the cross-members 8. l/Vhen theV feeders have again been reciprocated twice more, ther row of tongues which has been acted upon by the benders 26 is placed in position to be acted upon by benders 27. Benders 27 and 26 are in staggered relation so that the benders 27 Hatten into place those tongues which had not'been flattened by benders 26.-k Preferably at the same time, cylinder 66 is actuated to rotate the cam 60 and thus laterally force comb 56 to straighten out the grating and thus overcome the curving effect of the benders.

It is to be understood that many other embodiments of the invention, including some in improved form, Will be apparent and in the course of time Will be devised bythose skilled in the art. My invention includes all ot these Which come Within the spirit of the following claims, construed as broadly as the prior art Will permit.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for making grating in which a tongue on the longitudinal members olt the grating is bent to `hold the transverse members in place, means for holding said grating inthe desired position, and means for simultaneously bending a plurality of said tongues.

2. In apparatus for making grating in which tongues on the longitudinal members are bent tc hold the transverse members in place, means for holding Vthe grating With said tongues in a given position, and means rotatable about the point of connectionl of said tongues with said longitudinal mem-V bers to bend said tongues.

3. In apparatus for making grating in Which tongues on the `longitudinal members are bent to hold the transverse members in place, means for holding the grating With said tongues in a given position, and'means rotatable about the point of connection of said tongues with said longitudinal members to bend said tongues, Ys aid members having a pressure face of about the same length as the tongue. Y

4. In apparatus of the character described, means for progressing a gratingjto approximately the desired position, meansinsuring the location of said grating exactly in said position, and means for bending a tongue on some of the members of the grating to hold the other members of the grating in place.

5. In apparatus of the character described, means for holding the grating in a desired position, and means for simultaneously bending tongues onsome of the members of saidV vgrating'to hold other of the members of said grating in place. Y

. 6; In apparatus of the character described, means for progressing a grating Vapproximately to adesired position, means for 1nsur ing the exact positioning of saidV grating, means' for holding the grating in said position, and means for bending the tongues of some of the members of said grating to hold other ofthe members of said grating in position. f HV V'Z'. In apparatus of the character described, means `for progressing a grating approximately to a desired position,- .means for-'insuring the eXact positioning of said grating,

means for holding the grating in said position, and rotatablemeans for bendingthe tongues of some of the members of said grat' members Vof said ing to hold other-of` the grating in position.' Y

8. In apparatus of the character described including means for progressing grating to a desired position, means for holding the grating in 'said position, and means rotatable to bend a tongue on some of the members of said grating into position to hold other members of said grating in place.

9. In apparatus of the character described for bending the tongues of certain members of the grating in place, means for advancing said grating to place said tongues in a desired position, means for holding said grating with the tongues in said position, and means rotatable about a lpoint approximately in the intersection `of said tongue and the member of Which it is a part to bend said tongue. y 10. In apparatus lof' the character described,'mean's for bending a tongue into position to hold thedparts of the grating in proper relation, and means for counteracting the tendency of said bending means to curve thel grating `as a Whole. V

11. In apparatus for making grating in which a tongue on some of themembers of the grating is bent to hold other lmembers of' thefgrating in place, means for advancing the grating to ard-esired position, means for holding the grating in said position, means for bending the tongue in said grating, and means for counteracting the tendency of said bending means to curvev the gratingV as a Whole. y

12. .In apparatus formalring grating in which a tongue on some of the members oit' theV grating is bent to hold other membersof the grating in pla-ce, means for advancing'the grating to a desired position, means for holding the gratingin said position, means for Vbending .theatongue in said grating, and

means for counteracting the tendency of said bending means tobend the grating inV any undesired'manner. r

13. In apparatus for making; grating in which a tongueis bent to hold the parts of tao the grating in proper relation, means for bending the tongues on the members running in one direction, said means having the et'- fect ot curving said members, a comb itting against each ot said members, and means for moving the comb to bend said members in a diroction an amount that will leave said members straightened.

let. ln apparatus for bending straight tongues which project laterally from members of a grating, means straddling some of said tongues for holding the grating in place, and means for bending straight the other of said tongues.

l5. ln apparatus 'for bending straight tongues which project laterally from members of a grating, means coacting with some ot said tongues tor holding the grating in place, and means for bending straight the other of said tongues.

16. ln apparatus for making grating in which the grating supplied to a machine oonsists of a plurality of longitudinal members havin slots therein, a plurality of transverse members in said slots, tongues projecting from one end of said slots, means for advancing the grating to a desired position, said means consist-ing of members which coact with the transverse members and move them to a desired position, and means to bend the tongues against the transverse members.

17. ln apparatus for making grating by bending tongues projecting from some of the members of said grating to hold the other members of said grating in place, means for advancing the grating in its plane to a desired position, holding means and bending means movable into Contact with said grating, and means to operate said bending means.

1S. In apparatus Jor making grating by bending tongues on'some of the members of said grating into position to hold other members of the said grating in place, means for moving said grating horizontally to a desired position, means movable in one direction vertically to hold said grating in place, and means movable in the other direction to Contact said tongues and also movable to bend said tongues.

19. In apparatus of the character described, means for advancing the grating to a desired position, means for bending tongue on some of the members of said grating into position to hold cross members ot said grating in place, and an anvil for holding said grating in said position and for backing up said ,first mentioned members to resist the bending force.

20. lin apparatus of the character described, means for advancing the grating to a desired position, means for bending a tongue on some of the members of said grating into position to hold cross members of said grating in place, and an anvil movable into the plane of said grating for engaging February, 1980. Y VALTER A. BATES. 

